News Release

Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Woman Shot After Pointing Air Pistol At Police Officers

"Woman Shot After Pointing Air Pistol at Police Officers"

Woodland Hills - On Wednesday, March 14, 2001, at approximately 11:30 a.m., uniformed officers assigned to West Valley Community Police Station, responded to a dispute call at an apartment in the area of the 5500 block of Canoga Avenue. Two women of Black descent met the officers. The elder of the two women, a resident of the apartment, advised that the other woman was her long-term caregiver. A dispute had ensued between the two. The officers determined that no crime had been committed however, due to the nature of the incident and in an effort to stabilize the situation, the officers retrieved keys to the apartment from the caregiver and returned them to the elderly resident. The officers also requested the caregiver to leave the location, which she did. The officers left the location.

Approximately one hour later, at 12:37 p.m., there was an additional radio broadcast, directing officers from West Valley Area Community Police Station to respond to the same location. The emergency radio call advised that a burglary was in progress and that the suspect, was in possession of a gun. Five other uniformed officers, assigned to the West Valley Area Community Police Station, Special Enforcement Gang Detail, responded to the location. Upon arrival, the officers observed a female Black performing some sort of activity at an apartment window. The window was to the location of the radio call. The officers also observed a gun resting on a ledge within arms reach of the suspect. One of the officers ordered the suspect to turn around and place her hands over her head. The suspect turned around to face the officers, yelled obscenities at the officers and then threw her hands in the air. She then reached out, picked up the gun that was on the ledge and pointed it at the officers. Officer Jeff Ingalls, Serial No. 32281, (29 years of age, 5 ½ years with the Department) in fear for his safety and that of his fellow officers, fired one round at the suspect from his service pistol. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to her torso and fell to the ground, where she was subsequently taken into custody. Los Angeles City Paramedics responded to the location and transported the suspect to a local hospital where she was treated for her injury. The suspect is listed in stable condition.

Investigation at the scene revealed the gun pointed at the officers, by the suspect, to be an air pistol, silver in color with black grips, made to look exactly like a semi-automatic pistol. None of the involved police personnel were injured during the incident.

The suspect is identified as Dimples Terresi, female Black, 34 years old and a resident of Woodland Hills. She will be booked for Brandishing a Replica Firearm at a Police Officer.

Robbery Homicide Division is conducting the investigation into this officer-involved shooting.

For further information regarding this matter, please call Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.